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Healthy Family Relationships

Kim Henry was in a tough situation when she enrolled in the Healthy Family Relationships Singles workshop at her son Aiden’s Head Start program. Separated from her son’s father, she was living unhappily with her parents who were interfering with the way she wanted to raise Aiden.

In the workshop, Kim learned to communicate her needs, set boundaries and resolve conflicts both with her immediate family and her son’s father. As a result, the couple worked out a mutually acceptable custody and child support agreement. She also moved out of her parents’ house into HUD housing, took literacy classes and worked toward getting a driver’s license.

Kim’s new-found independence and ability to advocate for what she thinks is right have equipped her to choose a better partner as well; she found a man with a good job who supports her aspirations for a career. He respects her desire to take their relationship slow and smart. For example, he understands her refusal to allow him access to her son or to move into her and her son’s home.

Kim seized every bit of education she was offered and used it to change her life as a woman and as a mother. Now, Aiden’s mom is a role model for the value of education, work, independence and harmonious relationships.